davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
A HOUSE Invaded by RattIesnakss.

Just over the line in Marion county,
Georgia, wild mountainous section of
the county, man by the name of Becker
has lived for several years. Mr.. Becker's
home is the ordinary one-room log cabin
of that section, and his family consisted
of wife, several small children, and half
dozen dogs. The Becker homestead
is located in picturesque ravine, near a
plumber of small caves, in the mountain
side. Last week Mr.. Becker, returning
at sundown from his days labor, found
bis family some distance from the cabin
clinging to each other in abject terror
The half dozen dogs lay dead in the yard,
and over their swollen bodies crawled
and Missed hundreds of rattlesnakes.
The floor of the cabin and the entire yard
we're covered with the poisonous reptiles.
Mrs Becker informed her husband that
Early in the afternoon several snakes
,rawled into the yard, coming from tho
| direction of the nearest cave, which was
tbout 300 yards away. These were
promptly killed by the dogs, but in a
,ew minutes others came in such numbers
hat the dogs were overpowered and
;tung to death by the poisonous fangs Of
he reptiles. They soon began to come
n still larger numbers, and several of
hem entered the house. Mrs. Becker
ind her children then fed in terror, and
eft the reptiles in full possession of the
premises. In the semi-darkness even
;he bold mountaineer did not dare at
;ack the hideous invaders Of his house,
md carried his family to the house of
leighbor, where they remained during
;he night. Early in the morning Mr..
Becker returned home, only to find the
snakes still in possession and largely re-
mforced. He summoned several of his
neighbors, and the party, armed with
,hotguns, returned to the cabin to ex-
terminate the reptiles. Volley after vol
ley was fired into the writhing mass, but
still snakes continued to crawl out of the
brush and coil themselves in the yard or
cabin. After killing snakes for an hour
the party left, and the reptiles were still
in possession of the abin.--BirminghaDs
| (dLG.l Aoe.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
LADIES' COLUMN.
How Ladies Count.

'Did you ever notice how ladies
countw said dry goods clerk. IT do
not refer" he continued, ito women in
business, but the majority of ladies who
shop. They seem to have some intui-
tive way of reaching results, very differ
emily from the way men calculate money
matters. What do mean2 Well, stand
here and watch the next lady who counts
her cash, and you will find that most Of
her arithmetic is done on her fingers.
She may not snap them down 'one, two,
three FOUR but there is a slight move
ment of the muscles and lips that tells
one that she is counting by them all the
same Some never count the money
over, but accept it as right. Others
count it over and always say it is short.
Now you see, of those six ladies who
have received change while we have been
talking, only one has counted her cash,
and she counted it over twice before she
was satisfied. 1 have given this matter
considerable study, and am led to infer
from my observations that the average
female mind has no correct sense of num-
hers. "-Detroit Tribune
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

will dig three or four holes before she
finds place to suit her. After the eggs
ste laid she covers them and fills the hole
iip with dirt, and smooths it down with
great care. The eggs hatch in ten days,
and the little turtles at once dig their
way to the surface and lose no time in
getting to the water.
The swapping turtle, unlike the ter
rapin, is at its best during the Summer
months, although it is always in demand
while alternating. The snappers bur-
row in the ground in November, and
remain there until April. They are
caught in large numbers in Cumberland,
Franklin, Dauphin, Perry, Lebanon,
Snyder, Schuylkill and other counties.
They are fished for by men and boys,
both by setting out lines in the stream,
baited with meat of any kind, and by
s'poling" them. The snapper finds
muskrat holes a favorable retreat and
wherever these are known to exist the
fisherman knows he will find snappers.
He has long pole with hook on the
end, and, following along a stream where
there are muskrat holes, he lowers the
pole down into them as he finds them,
If there is a snapper there the fisherman,
or hunter, rather, can tell BY the contact
of his pole, and he jabs his hook into the
turtle and hauls it out. Sometimes the
snapper will resent the intrusion of the
pole by closing his jaws on it, and will
hold on until drawn out.
z In the western part of the State, near
Burgettstown, is stream called Raccoon
Greek. It is noted for the great number
of swapping turtles that abound in it.
1t is the only place known where hunt
ing and fishing for snappers is carrie / on
regularly and Systematically. The hInt-
ers have camps all along the stream.
They fish with the baited outline hook,
and hunt the snappcrs with rifles. This
Is done by taking favorable position on
the bank and watching up and down
stream for a turtle to crawl out of the
water to sun itself. A rifle ball in its
head will keep the snapper out for the
rest of its days.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
A Horse that Carries Nexspauers.

An indianapolis correspondent OF the
New York journal is respors bic for the
following picturesque yarn:
In this city, where as rule everything
that goes can be seen or had, there is one
novelty of which few other cities can
boast. 1t is horse that delivers daily
to regular subscribers the Cincinnati
Enquirer. This horse, the property of
William Angst, has been trained to do
this work by his owner, and so thoroughly
has he learned his daily route that at no
time in the past six months has he for
gotten one subscriber or patron.
The owner himself has been the horses
instructor, and taught the sagacious ami
NAL to know the streets, alleys and lanes
of Indianapolis and the houses of sub
scribers. The horse became famous for
his fast trotting, stopping promptly and
in good time at every place. He knows
his business so well that when in the
middle of any block where there should be
the last subscriber, he will turn around,
taking through an alley for shorten to
the next patron. The novelty of this
delivery of great newspaper has made
subscribers for it, by people who buy it
because they like to see the horse come
once day regularly and perform his re-
markable feat of leaving his master off
at the right house. indianapolis, like
other cities Of any size, has all competition
that is wanted in the newspaper business,
but when the Enquirer adopted the new
system of delivery-something of an
original and different idea altogether
from what has ever been in vogue before
it knocked out small rivals, leaving an
exclusive field for itself.
1t is common thing to see dog come
to the front gate for his masters paper !;
but when horse comes along to give it
to the dog-that act supplies the missing
link in the circulation of metropolitan
dallIes, and much d0uDt is expressed
whether or not some other and more
genial device will ever be heard of that
in all respects will supersede this mode
of delivery. The horses ability may be
readily estimated when l say that he de-
livers to no less than 420 subscribers,
scattered all over indianapolis and the
suburbs, taking over five hours to com
plete the task. The memory of this noble
animal is certainly wonderful. Gentle
as lamb, he trots in 2.55 when neces-
sary to have the first package at the
prominent newsstand of the Bates House
ahead Of all other dailiss. So accurate
is this animal in his daily course that the
large sum of $3.50 has been offered by an
admirer, but was refused, the horse cost
ing three years ago only $75.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

Latest Partisan bonnets are by no means
as high as they were and are exceedingly
simple and pretty.
Light white silk, volle or muslin takes
the place of heavy satin or moire for warm
weather wedding dresses.
Gauze ribbons are still the prettiest
possible trimming for the white lace
bonnets so stylish this season.
A sash bride is stylish on either
white or colored costumes and takes
the place of sash in finishing COS
tune.
Honey comb work is used for the yckes
of thin fabrics instead of shirring, and il.
attractive for washable or thin wOolen
fabrics.
Cocks plumes are stylish ON travelling
hats and for generally knock about wear,
as they perfectly stand any sort Of
weather.
A beautiful costume Of striped pink
silk of black and white combined with
chantilly lace is as elegant as anything
seen this season.
Among the newest dress trimmings are
metal embroidery. Gold, silver, bronco
and iridescent threads are worked by
machine in beautiful designs, and the
foundation being afterwards cut away
leaves an open work pattern, giving the
effect of lace.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
Printing in China.

Of course, the Chinese were ahead of
Europe, says r. r. Bowker in Kdrper's
Magazine. Their ohroniclers record
printing upon silk or cotton in the GEN.
tury before Christ, paper being attributed
to the first century after Christ. 1t is
certain that many hundred years ago they
had begun to put writing on transfer
paper, lay this face downward on wood
or stone, rub off the impression or paste
on the transparent paper, cut away the
wood or stone, and take an impression in
ink which duplicated the original First,
probably, they cut the letters into the
block, leaving white letters on black
ground, which method, Didot thinks,
was known to the Romans and was the
process referred to by Pliny; afterward
they cut away the block, leaving the let
ters raised, to print black on white. This
last process is attributed to Foong- -Taou,
Chinese Minister of State in the tenth CEN
tury, who was driven to the invention
by the necessity of getting exact copies
of his official documents. Indeed, there
is detailed tradition ofa Chinese Guten-
burg, one Pitching, who, in 1041, carved
cubes of porcelain paste with Chinese
characters, afterward baking them, and
literally setting" the porcelain types by
help of parallel wires on a plate of iron
in a bed of heated resinous cement,
These types he hammered or planed even.
and pressed close together, so that when
the cement hardened they were practi-
cally solid black, which could be taken
to pieces again by melting the cement.
But Pitching was born out of time, in
the wrong country and to the wrong
language The Chinese word alphabet
contains at least $4,000, possibly 24O,-
900, characters (the National Printing
Office at Paris made types for $4,000,
and for the lesser number the Chinese
compositor would require large room to
himself, where he could wander among
500 cases 'looking for a sign," while
Chinese wood engrayers will cut on pear
wocd, or on the hard waxen composition
used for that oldest Of existing dailies, the
Pekin Gazette, an octave page of char
acters for forty or fifty cents--a hun
dredth part of the cost Of the coarse
work, thousandth of the cost OF the
finest work here The Chinese printer,
without press, but with double brush
like canoe paddle, linking the block
with one end, and pressing the paperlaid
on the block with the dry bush at the
other end, prints 1000 sheets day, on
one side only, which are then bound into
book by making the fold at the front OF
the sheet, and stitching through the cut
edges at the back A fair-sized book is
sold for eight or ten cents, and there is
little inducement for improvement.
Playing cards, invented probably in Hin
dostan as a modification Of chess, and
then engraved on ivory, were made in
China and Hindostan centuries ago, and
thence they seem to have made their way
into Europe, probably through saracens
or Jews, before 400
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

Mr.. Eugene G. Blackford, the New
York Commissioner of Fisheries, has
been investigating the condition of the
oyster, and his report contains much in
teresting information concerning that
bivalve. In 1860 the vast majority of
the oysters sold in the markets of this
country was from beds Of oysters of nat
ural growth, while to-day sixty per cent
of the annual product Of oysters is from
planted beds. OF the 400, 1s0 acres OF
land available for oyster growing but
10, $50 acres contain oysters OF natural
growth in sufficient quantities to pay for
the cost Of gathering them. The natuIal
growth beds Of Rhode Island and Con-
necticut are practically extinct, and even
the great beds Of Maryland and Virginia
are being rapidly exhausted.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

Figured black tulle over . skirt OF
colored silk is liked for evening wear.
Many of the newest tailor-made suits
have the white pique waistcoat and col
lar.
Numerous fancy trimmings appear
upon the long wrists Of the newest
gloves.
Solid silver chains for girdIes or for
looping up dresses are among new and
novel things seen.
Coarse braids are more stylish than any
Of finer wear for dressy hats, either in
back or in colorS,
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
THE
Charlotte Messenger
is PUBLISHED
Every Saturday,
CHARLOTTE, N. c.

In the Interests of the coiored People
of the Country.
Able and weIE-known writers will contrib.
ute to its columns from different parts of the
country, and it will contain the:atest Cen.
eral News of the day.
1Hs MESSENGER is first-class newsnanor
and will not allow personal abuse in its col.
lis not sectarian or partisan. but
MISUNDERSTANDING fairly by all 1t re-
serves the right to criticise the shortcomings
of oil public officials -commending the
worthy, and recommending for election such
men as in tsopinion are best suited to serve
the interests of the people
It is intended TO supply the long felt need
of newspaper to advocate the rights and
defend the inter SITS of the Negro American
especially in the Piedmont section of the
CarOlinas.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

It is estimated that the amount Of
money expended on new buildings this
year throughout the Union will be more
than 500, 900, 900. But for the labor
troubles in the spring much moro could
have been invested in building opera
lions.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

1t is claimed that Franklin and otheri
have captured the lightning and har-
messed it in service, but a good deal Of it
seems to to be wandering around still in
a wild state, doing a great deal Of dam
age.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

The ruby Is just now the most fashion
able precious stone.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03

When singers throat is raw, you
can't expect her songs 70 be well done.
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
AI,cays IN Adronce.) J

Address,
Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-03
POPULAR SCIENCE.

The largest guns now used on ship.
board are calculated to penetrate 80
inches of iron, 10 to 20 Of granite and
75 feet of earth.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14

education popular rather than unpopu
lar. Even the opponents of our pres
ent laws have always pretended to
favor temperance education as the
true method of reform.
This is candid statement of the
case made by one who has not hesitat-
ed to criticise some of the features of
this temperance text book business.
But here is an extract from the Bel
lows Falls Times whose editor was a
member of the senate last fall:
The fact is, the original cause of this
assault does not want to appear di-
rectly against the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, and therefore they
assail the personal integrity of Mrs.
Hunt, hoping thereby to make breach
in the great work of teaching the chill
dren and youth of the land the terrible
evils of intemperance. The real truth
is that this assault is the work of the
devil and the trade mark of the sa-
looms.
But this article has already exceeded
reasonable limits. We thoroughly be-
lieve in temperance instruction in the
public schools. If the present law is
imperfect, and it would be strange
enough if it were not, the present dis
cussion must be helpful. AS to the
text books give them fair trial before
condemnation, and as to Mrs. Hunt
she is at least entitled to hearing.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14
THE HARDwICK ACCIDENT.

The board of railroad commissioners
state in the matter of the accident to
the way freight No. on the st. Johns
bury and Lake Champlain railroad,
from Swanton to st. Johnsbury, which
while passing through the town of
Hardwick, at BIZ o'clock p. M, on
May 81 last, ran into washout about
one-half of a mile west of the village,
derailing the locomotive and five cars,
and instantly killing Henry TatrO, fire.
man, injuring u. G. Chapel, engineer,
so that he died the same evening and
seriously injuring w. d. Wilcomb,
conductor of the train, that it appear
ed from the testimony that at the place
of the accident the Eaton brook crossed
the road-bed of the railroad through a
stone culvert five feet and eight inches
wide.
This culvert being inadequate to the
discharge of the water washout re-
suited. The culvert is approached by
a curve and a belt of woods comes
down to the line of the railroad so that
the pond of water or any danger which
the same might indicate could not be
discovered until the engine had arrived
almost upon the spot. 1t appears that
two freight trains had passed this
point 40 minutes before the occurrence
of the accident, and that within half
an hour before the section foreman and
his two men had passed over this same
place, when there was no collection of
water against the roadb bed, nor had
there been at that point. This sudden
flood appears to have been caused by
what is called cloud burst, and no one
is blamed for the accident.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14
Western Bridge Builders.

Speaking of bridges and bridge in
spectOrs, matters that have vitality in
terested New Englanders the past year,
the great West distances the East
again. A trestle work bridge in course
of construction on the Illinois Central
road collapsed Sunday. The structure
had just been passed upon favOrably
by the railroad cOmpany's chief engi-
neer. Less than Is minutes work re-
manned to be done, when, all at once,
the heavy beams trembled and went
down of their own weight, burying all
hands between masses of the trestle
work. The contractor was an tex
perienced" bridge builder, and the
cOmpany's engineer didn't understand
his business. Come to think of it
there isn't so very much difference in
the methods adopted in the two sec
tons, after all.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14
The Outraged People.
Manchester Mirror and Farmer.

The Concord People regards the ac-
ton of the Boston & Maine Railroad
issuing mileage tickets good to bearer as
a great outrage. AS these tickets en-
able man to buy for $50 that which
will carry not only him but his family
and friends, and any other persons to
whom he may sell or give ride, sing
ly or in groups, anywhere they want
to go in four States on the B. & NJ
system it must be confessed that il
they are an outrage they are greater
one than the mileage tickets issued by
the Concord road, which are good only
to the persons named i'm them, and only
OH the Concord system; but people
who travel like to be outraged in this
way. For some reason or other they
prefer to ride for two cents mile to pay
ing three they prefer ticket which
will carry anybody they wish to take
along with them, which they can lend
or sell, and which is good anywhere
they wish to go, to one limited to
themselves and to road thirty four
miles long. So Mr.. Boston g. Maine
please proceed with your outrages.
They can't come too thick or too fast
to satisfy the people, and if the People
can't stand it more's the pity.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14

heat one day last week, and as yet is
unable to leave the house.
Bishop, as usual, is one of the busiest
men in the village, with some forty
jobs of haying on his hands.
Mrs. Harvey Kicker goes to Old Or
chard beach this week, where she will
meet her husband and spend some
time.
Chas. Netherlands mill has come
out at last in its new dress, with sto-
ry added to the top and is model of
convenience.
Mr.. and Mrs. j. S. Gould go this
ed term with their sou Frank, who is
in the hotel business there.
Any one interested in bee culture, an
hour could be very profitably spent al
most any day with w. II. Gilchrist.
He has some 81 swarms in fine cOndi-
ton.
Prof. Ruthven Monteith of Union
vile, Conn.,, arrived for his summer
vacation Saturday night, bringing with
him couple of young men who are
putting on the last touches of the col
lege preparatory course.
We advise all persons during this
hot weather to be very careful about
eating peanuts and other indigestable
articles as we have had occasion to see
several persons in a critical condition
from such indiscretion.
Misses Nellie WOolson of Lisbon, N.
H., and Mary SimOnds of this village
have just completed very successful
term each in the upper and lower de-
partments respectively of the village
schools. They are both good workers
and have accomplished excellent re-
suits.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-14
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
A Revolution IN Hayaii.


Steamship Mariposa, which arrived
from Australia at San Francisco Sun
day morning, having touched at the
Hawaiian islands, brings the important
information that the expected revolu-
ton in the Hawaiian kingdom has act
ually occurred. The pOpulace organ
lied and demanded the downfall of the
ministry and the abdicatiOn of the king.
Residents of Honolulu and the sur
rounding country assumed the powers
of government. The volunteer military
forces of the kingdom were with them
and as a result the Gibson ministry
has fallen and a cabinet named by the
people, headed by VIM. NJ. Green, has
been appointed. King Kalakua has
been permitted to remain OH the throne,
although Invested of all present power,
having acceded to the demand for a
new constitution, and to abide by the
will of the people.
sloop capsized on Canarsie bay,
l.. l., last Sunday, twenty -four men
were drowned.
The steamer Bristol, owned by N.
G. Goodwin and w. S. Hanson of
MoultonborO, N. III. and valued at
$1,000, was burned at Lake WINNIPEG
saukee.
The Steamer Merrimac, from Hall
fax for Boston, went ashore at Liver
pool, N. S., last Sunday in q heavy
storm. The passengers were saved in
their night clothes.
Ex-Gov. Arson p. Morrill, of Maine
died at his residence in Augusta, July
a, at the age of eighty -four years. He
served one term in congress and was
governor one year, in both instances
declining denomination, political hon
ors not being to his liking.
The town of Macy Karolyi, in Hun
gary, was destroyed by a hurricane
and water-spOut last Wednesday night.
The site of the town and the adjoining
district are converted into a vast lake,
and many persons lost their lives.
The committee appointed at Hano-
YER, N. H., two months ago to consid-
er the matter of constructing water
works to supply the village, reported
in favor of q gravity system last
Wednesday, to cost $4,000. The
same committee have been instructed
to confer with the trustees of Dart
mouth College, to learn what pecun-
larry assistance that institution will
give, and to secure such legislation as
may be necessary.